Apparatus for use in remodeling lasts



July 5, 1938. c. E. HARRIMAN ET AL' 2,123,137

APPARATUS FOR USE I N REMODELING LASTS Filed sept. 25, i936 2 sheets-sheet 1 C. E. HARRIMAN ET AL APPARATUS FOR USE INREMODELING LASTS July 5,l 1938.

Filed sept. 25, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 ZZ/240 @We y Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR USE IN REMODELING LASTS Application September 25, 1936, Serial No. 102,514

1 Claim.

Our present invention is a novel, improvedr and simple apparatus, device, or jig for use in centering lasts during remodeling.

The object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple, readily adjustable, and inexpensive machine or apparatus for this purpose.

In the remo-deling of boot and shoe lasts it is now customary to cut olf a substantial portion of the forepart, usually retaining the heel and hinge portion which usually do not require changed designs; and then replace the cut-off portion of the forepart with a new block of roughly shaped wood, which is then re-turned on the shoe turning lathe to shape same on a different model last from that of the original model to which the last being repaired was made, although of course the same model can be used where the forepart was damaged and the remodeled original design is desired to be reproduced.

After the new block is thus fitted to the forepart it is then necessary to re-center the forepart and heel on the design to which the rebuilt, repaired, or renewed last is to be turned, and for this purpose our apparatus is useful.

The model last to be used in the turning lathe is rst tted to the apparatus and adjustments for heel and arch-supporting members relatively to the heel and toe-centering devices are made on the model, together with the side gauge or guide.

These devices being set in contact with the model and accurately aligned therewith are then ready to re-center the repaired last with the rough block on the forepart, suitable connections being made at the heel and' at the toe portion to lit the repaired last in a turning lathe wherein the model last originally used to set our apparatus is then tted to control the turning operations on the forepart of the repaired last.

In carrying out the invention We provide a small support or worktable fitted on a pair of supporting standards or legs suitable for resting on a bench, or the like, and provide on the work support a heel rest adjustable for height, a shank for an arch-engaging member also adjustable for height and, preferably, adjustable longitudinally of the work support, together with a heelpunching apparatus adjustable widthwise of the work support and vertically, and a corresponding toe-punching member also adjustable widthwise and vertical of the work support. In addition we provide a fixed side edge gauge or guide which will be used to align the model with the heel and shank rest, whereupon the heel-centering member and toe-centering member are adjusted widthwise and vertically tol lit the axis and spring in the design of the model. Thereupon these adjustments are locked in position and subsequent operations consist only in fitting in the renewed last with the block forepart and resting it on the heel and shank supports, pressing the same firmly against the side gauge, whereupon the last to be remodeled is in alignment for the centering operation, which consists merely in forcing, driving, or hammering the toe and heelpunching members into contact with the heel and toe portions of the last to be remodeled.

Thereupon the last thus centered is fitted in the shoe-turning lathe with the toe and heel centers already punched, and the last-turning operation on the new block forepart is thereupon completed.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of our invention,

Fig. 1 is a side View of the apparatus showing the adjustment of the apparatus of a model last;

Fig. 2 is a plan View;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View illustrating the fitting of a remodeled last to the supporting guide Y and centering devices;

Fig. 4 is a corresponding plan View of the same;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional View on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 isa cross-sectional View on the line 5 6 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional View on the line 'I 'I of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, a suitable work support o-r base I is preferably made of metal and supported on a pair of legs 2 2, being secured thereto by bolts 3 3, the legs being of suitable height to give a convenient position for the base I for the operator when the apparatus is set on the usual work bench, or other supporting member, indicated at 4.

In the base 2 is a longitudinal groove or slot I0 thru which the shank or arch-supporting or guide member I2 and the side gauge I5 are tted, with capacity for longitudinal adjustment lengthwise of the slot. The member I2 may be a threaded screw held in any adjusted position in the slot I ll to which it may be adjusted by a pair of bolts I3 and I4, and the side gauge I5 is preferably an angle iron, as shown in Fig. 6, with a Xed projecting stud 2li at the proper height in the upstanding portion of the angle iron I5 to contact with the lasts, both model and that to be remodeled.

This gauge member I5 is also arranged to be clamped in any adjusted position lengthwise of the slot I to which the member |5 is adjusted by a tapped recess in the horizontal portion of the angle iron 5, in which a threaded member 2| is fitted, a handclamp 22 on a threaded nut 23 being also fitted on the member 2| clamping against a washer 24 on the bottom of the base I and thru a sliding washer 25 on the inner part of the slot I0, the base member being countersunk, as shown at 26 for this purpose.

A heel rest 3|) is provided, being mounted on a vertical adjustable bolt 3| threaded thru a correspondingly threaded tapped recess 32 in the base and being held in position by a leg nut 33. This heel support 30 preferably carries a pair of heel-engaging fianges 35-35 formed integral with the support 30, and said support is provided with two or more adjusting screws 36-36 to regulate the desired height for contact with the heel of the last, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4, and '7. These heel flanges 35 may be readily removed and replaced with corresponding flanges of different size or design when changing to lasts of substantially different size or style.

The heel-punching member comprises a sliding support 40 having an under-formed rib 4| arranged toI slide in the groove 42, fitted widthwise in the base and across one end, viz. the left viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. rI'his sliding member 4B may be locked in any position widthwise of the groove 42 to which it may be adjusted by a bolt 44 and the slide 40 has a vertically extending flange 45, with a vertically cut groove 46 therein to which'is attached a vertically sliding block 48, having a recess in the top portion in which the heel-punching plunger 50 is tted and held in position by a cover plate The block 48 may be adjusted vertically in the groove 46 and secured in position by tightening a bolt 49. The heel-punching member 50 has secured at the outer end a head or knob 55, and at the inner end a plate 56 carrying heel-punching members 5'|-5'|, usually three in number, to make a suitable indentation in the heel of the last so that the same is subsequently fitted to the live center of the turning lathe.

A coil spring 55 between the knob 55 and the block 43 is fitted normally holding the plunger 50 to the left or 'withdrawn from the last, the head 56 being of suitable dimensions to prevent the plunger from being drawn thru the slot in the head of the block 48 and the cover plate 5|.

A similar device is fitted at the opposite end of the base to carry the toe-centering member, thus compressing the sliding block 50 adapted to slide widthwise of the base with the downwardly projecting rib fitted in the dovetailed groove 6|, and preferably having a micrometer adjustment afforded by the thumb nut 62 turning freely in the upstanding plate E3, secured by a bolt 54 to the edge of the plate and with the stem 65 threaded thru a hub 66 carried on the slide 60 constituting the head of the bolt 61, which extends thru the slide 60 and can be tightened up, and secures the slide in widthwise position to which it is adjusted by a threaded nut 68 fitted on the bottom of same.

The slide 60 also carries a vertically extending flange 'lll in which a block 1| is tted to slide vertically by a rib extending in the groove '|2 cut vertically in the base of the portion l0, and the block is secured and locked in adjusted position by the tightening of a bolt '|3 on` the outside of the portion 1U, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The block is perforated to receive a toe-punching plunger 80, having a head or knob 8| fitted thereon and adapted to be hammered or driven into engagement with the toe portion of the block of the last to be remodeled, after having first been set and adjusted to the model of the last being used for remodeling in the turning lathe.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described.

A suitable model indicated at 90, Figs. 1 and 2, is positioned in` the device; the heel rest 30 and shank rest I3 is vertically adjusted for this pur pose and the side gauge 20 is similarly adjusted for contact with either side of the last 9|), moving the shank and side gauges longitudinally of the slot l0, if desired, and securing them in adjusted position when finally decided upon. Thereupon the heel and toe rests are similarly brought into alignment with the heel portion of the model 90 and the toe portion with a view to determining the axis of rotation of the same and to transfer this axis and position on the new last to be remodeled. This adjustment is secured by sliding the members 45 and 65 widthwise of the plate and, thereupon, securing them in. position by tightening the locking bolts 44 and 68 respectively; whereupon the heel plunger 50 and the toe plunger 80 are further adjusted by moving their respective carrying block 48 and vertically on the face of the slides carrying each and locking the same in position by tightening the rbolts 49 at the heel portion, and 13 at the toe portion, respectively.

The last centers are now tted proportionately to the heel, shank, and side gauges, whereupon the last 90 is removed and the remodeled last |30 and the new toe forepart block secured thereto is fitted in the heel rest 35 and on the shank support `|2 and with the side of the last in contact with the guiding gage 2U.

Thereupon the heel and toe plungers 5|) and 80, respectively, are forced or hammered inwardly, being driven into engagement with the heel and toe portions, respectively, of the last to be remodeled, making the centering indentations' in the wood of the last |08, and thereupon the same is removed and fitted to the turning lathe; whereupon the new forepart is turned or remodeled in accordance with the model accorded by the last 9|) used for setting the apparatus.

We claim:

Apparatus of the kind described adapted for remodeling lasts, consisting in a heel-engaging post having' removable flanged supports and means for vertical adjustment of said post in a fixed horizontal position, an arch-engaging post longitudinally slidable relative to said heel-engaging support, and a side-gauging member fixed in length and height but adjustable longitudinally, in combination with adjustable and rotatable toeand heel-engaging members.

CHARLES E. HARRIMAN. EDWARD C. ROBINSON. 

